Passion is a funny thing, it can inspire you or it can eat you up. When we have a thought or idea that strikes our fancy, we tend to focus on it and maybe focus to the point of obsession. Why do we do that?
I think it is because our minds are not challenged enough in our day-to-day lives/survival to objectively view the world around us. In this current political arena, both sides of the fence claim to speak the facts or truth, when obviously in most cases or issues, there is no hard right and wrong answer. There are hard boundaries however.
In a more primitive world, politics had a direct impact on individuals and families. Oppose the tribal chief, you are dead or exiled with your whole family. If you supported the right guy (the strongest, or the smartest) then you and your family might flourish. In today’s world, politics are less direct and more oblique.
Obviously, in this country at least, voting for the most popular or least popular isn’t gonna get you dead or exiled. At some point it may affect your well-being or status, but some of that is on the individual for the subsequent choices and actions. And long term consequences of your politics can & do impact you and yours (i.e. tariffs on agricultural products impacting the same demographic that voted for the prez).
In short, going back to passion; why do we care so much? Is it a pride thing? “I have an idea, it’s mine and no one can make me change my mind!” Could it be the ‘blue dress/gold dress’ brouhaha? Are we really wired that much different that we see the same thing(s) as something totally opposite? Our nervous systems are virtually the same, our blood is somewhat interchangeable, another person can use my spare kidney and other parts of my body, but they can’t share my thoughts, ideas, beliefs, courage, cowardice, pleasures or pain…those are mine.
And yours are yours.
"I've done my damnedest to stir the pot today...I could've done better"
Mike
They that sow the wind, shall reap the whirlwind...
Hosea 8:7
